#ICYMI DAY 21: Toronto’s Menswear Scene Is On Fire

The holiday season is here, a time for reflection and excitement for the year ahead. To help you take stock, reminisce about the good times, and get excited for 2017, for the entire month of December your WGSN global editors are cutting through the noise to deliver you, our “WGSN #ICYMI” rundown.

It’s a rundown of the coolest most viral moments of the year, the most innovative ad campaigns, plus the sites and sounds that should be on your radar now, so that come 2017, you can say, ‘oh I already knew that was going to be HUGE this year’.

WGSN #ICYMI: DAY TWENTY ONE

WGSN Staffer: Sidney Morgan-Petro, Retail Editor, North America

“Where do I shop for style inspiration that is not New York or LA?” This is probably one of the biggest questions I get asked as Retail Editor here at WGSN. This year I was fortunate to visit nine North American cities to refine my answer to that question. The last trip? Our chilly neighbour to the north, Toronto. And while I was overall VERY impressed by the city, it was the menswear scene that really stood out. The sheer volume of menswear-only, independent boutiques qualifies Toronto as a worth-while shopping excursion in and of itself, and it’s worthy to note that many of these boutiques opened since my visit early last year – signalling a growing market to keep an eye on. Here are some of my fave spots to peruse Toronto’s menswear scene:

Uncle Otis

Uncle Otis – Having honed the Toronto menswear market over the past 25 years, this Toronto staple has the opportunity to get experimental. Pop-in for some hard to find Japanese labels such as Snowpeak, Ficouture and or Slow alongside a highly-curated yet wearable collection of military-inspired sportswear.

Reigning Champ

Reigning Champ – The Vancouver-based athletic brand takes their clean normsport aesthetic to Toronto. Opening in the trendy Queen Street West area on Ossington Ave in October of last year, the shop boasts their recent collaboration with adidas alongside their latest launch – a small womenswear capsule.

18 Waits

18 Waits – This menswear boutique has been in business online for years but has only recently opened a physical location in Toronto’s Queen Street West hood. Offering a rugged, yet refined aesthetic with a focus on craftsmanship, some stand-out goods include button-downs from their namesake collection and flame-crafted leather hats from local milliner Coup de Tete.

Working Title

Working Title – The duo behind another popular Toronto menswear boutique, Lost & Found, Working Title caters to the more affluent tastes of the midtown area. Stocking brands such as Gosha Rubchiskiy and Stone Island, this store is for the die-hard fashionisto.

For more retail and buying insights follow WGSN’s coverage here. To keep track of Sidney’s next retail destination follow her on instagram here.